The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1887-05-05
WOMAN'S WORLD.
The Elevation Of the Stage...Mrs
Cleveland'e Influence.

4 The Elevation OF the Stage---Mre.
i Cleveland'e Influence.
A short time since was one of
party invited by New York manager,
+ Mr.. A. NJ. Palmer, to make the trip to
Washington with his company and wit
ness the performance of play which
has been running all the season at the
Madison-square Theatre, New York
("Jim, the Penman''), for the benefit of
the Actors Fund of America. The Act
ors' Fund was founded five years ago,
Mr.. Albert NJ. Palmer, of the Madison
square Theatre, being it's most active
promoter, and is the first substantial
effort of actors and managers to provide
permanent resources from which to
draw for mutual benefit, aid in sickness,
protection in old age, and strength and
I encouragement during the days of health
and vigor. Highly as individual actors
and actresses have been esteemed, they
had no organization of national dignity
or Importance, and no certain source of
mutual help, sympathy and encourage
ment, and the Actors Fund is intended
to supply all of these. Already it has
capital fund of $5O,OO0, and it is in con.
temptation to not only provide certain
aid in case of sickness or disability, but
to provide fine permanent building in
the city of New York, which shall be an
educational institute, clubhouse, and
home worthy of pursuit which de-
mands superior intellectual qualities and
is beginning to take its place as one of
the noblest of the professions.
This is why the Actors Fund has
national Importance, and this is partly
why the invitation Tor this special per-
formance came from the President of the
United States, the members of the Cabi-
net and chief officers of the government.
The train consisted of special cars, and
taking in, at the first glance, the persons
who made up the assemblage and the
provision for their comfort, one could
but arrive at the conclusion that
vast advance had taken place
In habits, customs and public opin-
ion, since the time when the "players,"
the ..best" the city did afford, were over
taken on their way to the court of Den
mark, and given over to old Polonius
for care and entertainment. The mod
ern manager" is no player In this case
he was the son of an old and respected
clergyman who has occupied one pulpit
for upward !of thirty years. His young
son and daughter were both with him,
and his grief was that his wife could not
aceo4apany him because of indisposition,
which would have prevented the whole
Expedition, had not the publicity rem
dered this impossible. The belle of the
party was young married lady, an
actress, whose husband, an actor, is her
devoted slave, and of the other lady
members of the company one has earned
her title to "Queen," and another is a
grandmother, yet still fine actress and
recognized anywhere and everywhere as
q true lady.
1t was curious to see these people,
whom the public generally only see upon
the mimic world of the stage doing the
common things, actuated by the ordinary
motives, and supplied with as complete
an outfit of the usual joys, sorrows,
delights and anxieties as the most OBJ
scure individual among US. 1t was pleas
ant, also, to see that in the national
capital they were received with due
honor, that beautiful flowers crowded
their table, that senators and their wives
were eager to see and greet them, and
that "actress" no longer stood in the
way among the intelligent and educated
of honor and social distinction.
Up to within a. very short time the
society of our large cities has been far
behind Europe, and particularly London,
In this respect. In this latter city l have
seen q duchess wait on the edge of a
crowd for chance to speak to Miss
Genevieve Ward, the actress, at an even
ing reception; while such women as Mrs.
Kendall, actress and wife of manager, are
received into the finest houses in London.
This has not heretofore been so in this
country, and it has been one of the great
est drawbacks to the entrance into the
profession of young women of education
gradually and very sensibly being re-
moved. The dramatic profession is one
of the few that offers equal chances to
women with men. 1t demands superior
Intelligence; it calls for the exercise of
high Intellectual qualities 1t requires the
possession or the stimulation of culture
and refinement. If it presents tempta-
tions to those who are assailable, so much
more reason why society and all good
women should throw around the subjects
Of them all the guards which self-respect,
association, cOuntenance and fellowship
can command. Much that we call temp
sstion only assails the weak and vain, not
! the strong, or those inspired by worthy
purpose. 1t Is infinitely better, therefore,
That the women of the stage should be
drswn from the best, not the poorest
G6arces; that they should be educated,
Ietelligent, self-relisnt, not the victims of
vulgar desire for display and sdmira-
7{f6n.
.Ts b rather remarkable that the CEN
s<Sr1 Agure Of Washington society should
~ > young girl, whose previous life,
1hHe charged with some grave RESPONSE
Iltiee, and experiences, bad been as far
Iseyod - possible from expectation of
~ heh po6ition she was called upon to
~ 1hi8 ~ y the wife Of the President
ooo noe explain the hold che has OBJ
6nd upon The hearts Of men and women
- ~ eves1 rank and dsgree. "There
S&NHan II WaehfAgtea who h not
oe - HI Qleselpsd " asid 8